Ice making apparatus



P 1950 D. E. M LEoD 2,952,988

ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. DAVID EARLE MACLEOD.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 20, 1960 D. E. M cLEoD ICE MAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1956 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

DAVID EARLE MACLEOD.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 20, 1960 3 Sheets$heet 3 Filed Aug. 31, 1956 FIG. 8

w \ME E L N C R M 0 VM U NE W L R A E m. M, D Y B 3 m l o0 o 2 m M l O m United States Patent ICE MAKING APPARATUS David Earle MacLeod, Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Bellaware Fiied Aug. 31, 1956, S61. No. 607,437

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-139) This invention relates to automatic ice making equipment of the kind used to produce small pieces of ice for use in beverages or with food. More particularly, this invention pertains to a novel control arrangement for ice making equipment utilizing a refrigeration system to cool a member having a supply of water introduced thereover, to form an ice accumulation on the member.

In apparatus of the type to which this invention relates, a control mechanism, arranged to cause the equipment to function to form a predetermined accumulation of ice on a refrigerated ice forming member, operates, automatically, to free the ice from the ice forming member after the predetermined ice accumulation has been formed.

The chief object of this invention is the provision of a novel control mechanism for sensing an ice accumulation on the ice forming member of a magnitude indicating the necessity for the harvesting action mentioned above.

A further object of the invention involves the provision of an improved ice making machine wherein an ice accumulation, having substantial height and width in relation to its thickness, is formed.

A still further object is the provision of an ice making machine of the kind described wherein the ice accumulation or formation is substantially clear or transparent and may be easily broken into small pieces or fragments to be used in cooling beverages.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a novel method of automatically making and harvesting ice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel ice forming member constructed to accommodate an ice accumulation of a type that may readily be removed from the member.

Still another object of the invention involves the provision of novel means for breaking the ice accumulation formed in the shape of a slab into a plurality of small, transparent pieces or fragments resembling flakes.

A still further object of the invention involves the provision of a novel water distributing device for insuring a substantially even distribution of water over the ice forming member while preventing undesirable splashing of the water prior to its introduction over the ice forming member.

The objects of this invention are attained in an ice making machine having an ice forming section including means for sensing an ice accumulation on an ice forming member in the ice forming section by detecting a portion of the water flowing over the ice member and diverting it to a locale having a control member adapted to be affected by the diverted water, means for insuring the formation of ice on the ice forming member of a configuration that may be readily harvested, means for insuring efficient distribution of Water over the ice forming member and means for breaking the ice formation, harvested by action of a control unit, actuated in part ice by the above mentioned diverted water, into small pieces or flakes.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a description of the ensuing specifications and drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an ice making machine of the type contemplated by this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section and partly diagrammatic, with certain elements broken away in the interests of clarity, of the ice forming compartment of a machine illustrating the invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded view on a reduced scale of the ice forming member of the invention;

Figure 4 is a partial, fragmentary view in perspective of the ice forming member, sump and chute;

Figure 5 is a side view of one of the rollers for breaking the ice accumulation prior to its introduction to the ice storage bin;

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the ice formation detecting member and its mounting, showing the adjustment feature;

Figure 7 is a side view, partially in section, of the ice detecting member and the path of flow of water diverted by the ice detecting member;

Figure 8 is a schematic view of the control circuit for the machine illustrating diagrammatically, the cycle control unit; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, showing the top of the ice making machine.

Referring to the drawings it will be noted that an ice making machine embodying this invention includes an ice making compartment it) and an ice storage compartment 11 enclosed by an insulated casing 12. The ice forming compartment includes a supporting structure composed of a plurality of structural elements 13 such as angle members of steel welded or otherwise connected to form a skeleton-type framework. Supported by brackets 14, from the elements 13 are opposed ice forming members 14. While two such members are illustrated in confronting relation, if desired, any number of such members may be employed.

Located under the lower ends of the member 14 is a sump 15, certain of the sides of which are connected to certain of the supporting elements 13. Water is introduced into the sump from a source such as a city main, through line 16, under the control of a float valve 17. In order to cool the ice accommodating surface 18 of the member 14, an evaporator 20 of a refrigeration system including compressor 21, condenser 22, liquid line 23, strainer drier 24, expansion valve 25, and suction line 26 is secured in heat transfer relation to the surface of the ice forming member opposite the ice accumulating surface 18. Gaseous refrigerant, formed in the evaporator as an exchange of heat occurs between the refrigerant and the water flowing over surface 18, flows through the suction line 26 to the compressor 21 where it is compressed and forwarded at a higher temperature level through line 21' to the condenser 22. Heat of a magnitude suflicient to change the gaseous refrigerant to the liquid phase is rejected in the condenser to a conventional cooling coil 27. Water from a city supply flows through coil 27 and is discharged to waste or to a cooling tower after absorbing heat from the refrigerant. Liquid refrigerant flows through liquid line 23, strainer-drier 24 and expansion valve 25 to the evaporator in the manner shown. It will be apparent that other suitable expansion members, such as a conventional capillary, may be used in place of valve 25. Also an air-cooled condenser may be used. Line 28 connects the top of the condenser directly with the evaporator. Flow of hot gaseous refrigerant in this line is under the control of solenoid valve 29. The heat necessary to free the ice accumulation from the surface 18 of the ice forming member may be obtained from the refrigeration system in a manner to be later described.

Water from sump 15 is continuously circulated, during the ice forming or freezing cycle, over surface 18.

Motor driven pump 30 forwards water from the sump through line 31 to a T connection 32 and branch lines 33, 34 to a header member 35 disposed within a shroud 36 adjustably attached to the upper part of the ice forming member 14 through slots 36 and clamp nut 37'. The header is provided with a series of apertures 37 arranged to permit water to issue from header 35 onto the inclined surface 38 of the shroud. This latter surface is a part of the lower portion of the shroud, the edge 39 of which terminates in spaced relation to the surface 18 of the ice forming member 14. Thus water discharged from the header through the apertures 37 is distributed through the action of the shroud in an even stream across return to the sump for subsequent recirculation.

To avoid any undesirable mineral concentration in the water remaining in the sump, a bleed-off tube 40 is arranged adjacent the lower end of the ice accumulating surface 18 to receive a certain proportion of the flow over member 14. The portion of the flow received by tube 40 is exhausted to waste, after precooling the makeup water flowing in line 16. The water removed from the sump through the tube 40 is replaced by water flowing through line 16.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3, the ice forming member 14 is shown as composed primarily of two parts. The first part, plate 41, includes the ice accumulating surface 18 and is formed of material such as copper having high heat transfer properties, Opposed side walls 42 are provided with bent over flanges 43 for assembly with a supporting part 44, fabricated from a material such as .steel having thermal properties different from the material from which plate 41 is formed. The supporting member 44 includes a back wall 45, fopposed side walls 46, a top wall 47 and a bottom wall 48. A fi'ont wall 49 extends from the side and top walls and is provided with an upstanding flange 50.

As evident in Figure 3 the side walls 42 of plate 41 terminate short of the lower end of the plate to form portion 51. The portion 51 is flared so that water flowing down surface 18 is directed to the sump rather than through a chute mounting the ice breaking means from where it would enter the ice storage compartment in ,a manner to be later described. The evaporator coil is secured to the side of plate 41 opposite the surface 18, preferably by soldering. The return bends on the evaporator terminate short of the lateral limits of the surface to which they are secured. The straight portions of the coil adjacent the sides are not soldered to the plate. The formation of ice at the sides of the surface 18 is of less thickness than that on the other portions of the surface because of a lower order of heat transfer between the unsoldered members. Thus when the ice accumulation is removed during the harvesting operation or cycle, incomplete defrosting at the marginal portions of the ice slab or formation is prevented. Openings 54 permit connection between the evaporator and the other parts of the refrigeration systems. Insulating material 59 such as fiber glass is placed in the member 44 as shown in Figure 2. The members 41 and 44 are connected by inserting flange 50 between flange 43 and side wall 42 of plate 41 and soldering the two members. As pointed out above, water flows over the surface 18 of refrigerated member 44 during the ice making cycle. To detect the formation of an ice accumulation of a desired magnitude, ascoop-like member 60 is mounted in spaced relation to the ice forming member 14. The

' ing operation to the freezing operation.

member 60 includes a substantially straight portion 61 provided with converging side walls 62 and a curved or arcuate portion 63 axially connected thereto and integral therewith. Surface 64 of the scoop confronts the ice accumulating surface 18 on ice forming member 14 and affords a path of flow for a portion of the stream flowing oversurface 18 (or the ice accumulation on the surface) to a receiver65. Water clings to the under surface 64 through surface tension. From the receiver the water flows by line 66. over a thermal bulb 67 in a well 68, forming a part of the cycle control system for the machine. Portion 63 provides a surface configuration promoting unimpeded movement of the ice slab during defrosting. The scoop 60 is angularly adjustable relative to the surface 18 through rod 69, note Figure 6, provided with a slot 71, and block 70, adapted to be secured to an element 13. Block 70' is arranged to form, in conjunction with block 70, an opening for member 69. Arcuate recesses in'the confronting surfaces of blocks 70 and 70'-complement one another to form an opening for rod 69. Screws 71 permit a tight bond between the rod and the opening. Cover 72 completes the scoop adjusting assembly.

The cycle control system for the machine includes a conventional two bulb temperature control unit of the kind supplied by control manufacturers and operable in response to the operation of bulb 67 mentioned above and bulb 72 on the evaporator line. The operation of the control unit 73 is shown schematically in Figure 8. A detailed description of a unit having a solenoid replacing bulb 67 is found in co-pending application Serial No. 595,450, filed June 29, 1956, in the name of Paul Farley and assigned to the assignee of this invention, and now abandoned. Inasmuch as the control unit per se does not form a part of this inventiona general description of the unitshould suflice. for the purpose of describing its function in this invention when discussing the operation of the ice making machine. This invention may also be employed in a machine having a cycle control system as described in co-pending application Serial No. 171,593, filed July 1, 1950, in the name of D. E. MacLeod and assigned to the assignee of this invention, now Patent No. 2,775,098.

Briefly, the switch 101 is of the over-center action type having a spring urged arm 102. The arm is moved in response to an actuating mechanism designedto move the arm past the dead center position only when certain thermal conditions within the machine are satisfied. The particular thermal conditions referred to indicate the necessity for the machine to cycle from the freezing operation to the harvesting operation or from the harvest- Arm 102 is moved in response to motion imparted thereto by a plate 103 connected to a post or vertical support 104 pivotally mounted on a shaft journalled on a pivotally mounted platen or power element 105. A second vertical member 106 is fixedly secured to the pivotally mounted platen and includes an adjustable abutment member 107 at the upper end thereof. A spring 107 is arranged to urge the support 104 into engagement with the abutment 107.. .The support 104 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 109. Adjustably mounted in the end of the arm 109 is a set screw 110. A second pivotably mounted platen 111 is located under the set screw 110. Movement of the platen 105 is under the control of a bellows 113' connected by a capillary 112' to bulb 72. These latter three elements define a closed system embracing a thermal, responsivefill. Expansion or contraction of the bellows 113' occurs inresponse to changes in temperature sensed by the bulb in the well-known mannen Movement of the platen 111 is under the control of a bellows 113, connected to the bulb 67 by capillary 112, in a manner similar to the control of the movement of platen 105. U

Interposed between the ice'forming compartment of the machine and the ice storage compartment is a chute 80 having opposed end walls 81 and opposed side walls 82 including inclined portions 83. The chute permits the ice formed on the ice forming member 14 to pass into the enclosed ice storage compartment during the harvesting cycle. Mounted in the opposed end walls of the chute are the ends of two rollers 84, each equipped with a series of picks 85 adapted to break the ice as it falls through the chute. The picks 85 are located on the roller so as to define a helical path extending longitudinally of the roller. Bearing members 86, such as conventional pillow blocks, are secured to a vertical mounting plate 87 aifixed to the outer surface of the end walls. These bearings support reduced portions of the rollers extending beyond the wall 81. Gears 88 are secured to the reduced extending portions of rollers. A pulley 89 is also keyed to one of the rollers and, through belt 89', receives rotational movement from a motor, not shown.

To guide the sheet of ice into the chute after its release from the ice forming member, a transversely extending guide or comb 90, having a first portion 91 provided with a surface in substantial alignment with the surface 18 and an inclined portion 92 composed of a series of spaced fingers 93 extending into chute opening, is provided. Picks 85 on rollers 84 are arranged to move within the spaces between the fingers 93 when the rollers are rotated. It will be understood that the fingers 93 on the comb located on the left of the machine as viewed in Figure 1 are aligned with the fingers 93 on the comb located on the right of the machine.

The ice slabs entering the chute are broken into frag ments by the action of the rollers 84 equipped With the picks 85. It will be understood that rotation of the rollers 84 is effected during the harvesting cycle. A bulb 140 located in the storage bin where the fragments fall senses a quantity of ice in the bin of a magnitude sulficient to terminate operation of the machine. This is accomplished by having the bulb actually contact the ice formation or sense a bin temperature of the order of about 34 F. The bulb 140 is a part of a conventional closed system containing a thermal fill and including bellows 142 and capillary 141. Secured to the bellows 142 is a switch 143 adapted to control the main circuit for the machine, as shown in Figure 8.

Considering the operation of the machine including the cycle control unit, when the machine is started the platen 105 is in its upper position by virtue of the expanded bellows 113' as bulb 72 senses ambient temperature. The platen 111 is also in its upper position as bulb 67 senses ambient temperature. The parts are so arranged that the plate 103 carried by support 104 is at the limit of its forward or clockwise travel and forces the arm 102 against the action of spring 119 to a position such that a circuit through the motor of pump 30 is completed as well as circuit through the motor controlling compressor 21. The circuit through the motor R controlling the rollers 84 and the solenoid valve 29 is interrupted. After the machine has operated for a period of time, the suction line 26, originally at ambient, will have a temperature low enough to cause the bellows 113' connected to bulb 72 to contract, pulling platen 105 downwardly. This action causes the vertical member 106 to move counterclockwise. The vertical support 104, under the influence of spring 108 tends to follow the movement of member 106. In this respect the support 104 is only partially successful for the reason that the parts are so arranged that the set screw 110 carried by arm 109, connected to support 104 engages platen 111 and prevents further movement of post 104. Thus the plate 103 connected to post 104 moves to the left a distance insuflicient to permit the am 102, urged into engagement with plate 103, of switch 101 to carry beyond the dead-center position and the circuits described above are unaffected.

After the formation of a layer of ice of a desired thickness, as determined by the position of member 60, occurs cold water from the sump is introduced over bulb 67 flowing down under surface 64 to the receiver 65 and line 66 to the well 66'. This causes bellows connected to platen 111 to contract and cause downward movement of the platen 111. This action permits the post 104 to move counterclockwise a short distance under the influence of spring 108. Now switch actuating arm 102 in turn is free to move, with the assistance of spring 119, an additional distance to the left sufilcient to move beyond dead-center position so that the switch 101 is actuated and the circuit through the pump motor is interrupted and the circuit through solenoid valve 29 and the motor controlling rollers 84 is completed. Hot gaseous refrigerant flows through line 28 to the evaporator, warming it sufficiently to break the bond between the ice formation and the surface 18 of member 14 without appreciably disturbing the dimensions of the ice formation. As the ice formation slides off the ice forming member by gravity it enters the chute and is broken into fragments through the action of the rollers 84.

The passage of hot gas through line 28 warms up the bulb 67 which in turn causes upward movement of the platen 111 as the bellows 112 expands. Upward movement of the platen 111 forces set screw 110 attached to arm 109 in a clockwise direction. This movement is transmitted to switch actuating arm 102 through members 104 and 103. However, the previous movement of arm 102 was of a magnitude suflicient to carry the switch well beyond dead-center position such that the movement in the reverse direction (being resisted now by the spring 119 controlling arm 102) back past the dead-center position is prevented. Thus, the harvesting cycle, instituted when the switch 101 was actuated, continues.

Next, the bulb 72 senses a temperature in the evaporator of an order sufiiciently high to indicate the absence of the ice slab on the member 14. This temperature causes the bellows controlling platen 105 to expand, moving vertical member 106 to the right into engagement, with post 104, of a nature sufiicien-t to move the post 104, plate 103 and arm 102 to the right. The posts are so arranged that the switch actuating arm 102 is moved beyond dead-center and the circuit through the motor controlling rollers 84 and the solenoid valve 29 interrupted and the circuit through the motor controlling pump 30 completed. Thus, the ice making or freezing cycle is re-instituted.

While the invention has been illustrated, as it pertains to a well-known ice making machine, it will be obvious that it may be applied to other types of equipment without departing from the invention as it is described in the claims.

I claim:

1. An ice making machine comprising an ice forming member including a first member having an ice accumulating surface, and opposed side walls having portions bent back to form flanges, a second member formed of material having thermally conductive properties differing from the first member, said second member having a surface substantially parallel to the ice forming surface on the first member, opposed end walls and connecting flanges for securing the second member to the flanges of the first member; a refrigeration system including, an evaporator coil secured to the surface of the first memher opposite the ice accumulating surface; means for supplying water to the refrigerated ice forming member to form an accumulation of ice thereon; and means for terminating the flow of water and harvesting the ice accumulation in response to a predetermined accumulation of ice.

2. In a machine for cyclically forming and harvesting accumulations of ice, means defining a surface for the formation of an ice accumulation, means for refrigerating said surface, means for supplying a stream of liquid for flow over the refrigerated surface so that portions of the liquid form into ice on said surface, control means for terminating the'supply of liquid to the refrigerated surface and initiating a supply of heat to the surface sufficient to free the ice accumulation from the surface,

' said control means including an element mounted in spaced relation to the refrigerated surface, said element having a water diverting surface confronting the refrigerated surface to provide a path, independent of the flow of the liquid supplied to the refrigerated surface, for the flow of a portion of fluid in response to formation of an ice accumulation of a predetermined size, and means including a thermal responsive member responsive to the flow of water in said independentpath for controlling the cyclical action. 7 1

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 including a receiver mounted in spaced relation to said means defining a surface for the formation of an ice accumulation to receive the portion of fluid flow from the element.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 wherein said water 8 diverting surface of said element includes a first curvilinear portion and a substantially rectilinear portion integral therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 706,510 Barrath Aug. 12, 1902 2,524,815 Leeson Oct. 10, 1950 2,645,910 Leeson July 21, 1953 2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,691,275 Andrews Oct. 21, 1954 2,702,990 Kogel Mar. 1, 1955 2,739,457 Chapman Mar. 27, 1956 2,746,262 Gallo May 22, 1956 2,747,375 Pichler May 29, 1956 2,779,165 Pichler Jan. 29, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Frigidaire Serv. Tech-Talk,Decen1ber 1951, volume II, Number 12. v 

